Last minute checkover, glad i did.

[Juddian]

Cruiser is in for MOT tomorrow morn, washed it yesterday including underneath, bit old fashioned me cos i believe its disrespectful to expect a mechanic to work on something dirty.
Just gave the thing the once over and discovered a front inner CV boot has split, great timing that.
Not sure if the indy garage mot'ing the thing will want to tackle it, so will ring them in the morning before dropping it off, silly to just submit and get a failure for something i already know about.
Was a time i'd DIY the thing, but just can't summon up the will, if they won't do it i'll get MrT on the job, could do with a brake fluid flush anyway .

 

[jibberjabber]

Good Luck

 

[Tractionman]

That is bad timing, my local garage is good like that, if I notice problem pre mot, I tell Mike the owner, as long as he can get parts smartish, he will put back mot, his guys will do repair - sometimes then or next day and then mot. To be quite honest Juddian, I always jetwash my vehicles, not so much out of consideration, but so I have heads up with things you describe, or minor oil leaks. Sometimes with minor leaks, I have driven around corner from garage, given the leak area a quick wipe if anything showing and submit.
If mot man can't see it leaking, he can't fail it. I then repair when it suits me. Good luck !

 

[Juddian]

Gawd i'm losing the plot, noticed the clock said 1630 earlier so tried ringing the garage to give them a heads up, blinking answerphone, finally dawned on me its Sunday, that's the trouble with my shift pattern which rotates over a 5 week period, i haven't a clue what day of the week it is.

 

[Tractionman]

Gawd i'm losing the plot, noticed the clock said 1630 earlier so tried ringing the garage to give them a heads up, blinking answerphone, finally dawned on me its Sunday, that's the trouble with my shift pattern which rotates over a 5 week period, i haven't a clue what day of the week it is.

I'm like that without working shifts.
Off topic I know, did you have any bothersorting out the fitting of the Romanian bash plates we both have?

 

[Juddian]

Well, its gone in, the local indy (they're really nice people, good work with fair pricing, not a 4x4 specialist so i gave them the option to not do the job if they didn't want it) is quite happy to do the drive shaft boots, i've also asked them to have a good poke nose around the suspension bushes etc whilst they have it apart and do anything needed, and to do all 4 CV boots if the nearside looks like its on its last legs, also going to flush the brake fluid, just can't summon the enthusiasm up at the moment, want to get on with the annual rustproofing when i get it back.

Apart from regular servicing, which i still do myself, and the alternator dying last year £126 Lucas recon) this Cruiser hasn't put a foot wrong and owes us nothing.

Work has been constant since house arrest of the population started, i drive a tanker on foodstuffs so the first few weeks especially during panic buying were manic, hence my weak excuse for not DIYing.

Ah, those bash plates, the only bother i had was two of the threaded short bars that you slip into the cross member to bolt to were too long, a matter of minutes to cut them down a bit to fit, otherwise all went well, i also bought the gearbox bash plate when i saw how solid the sump guard was, that too went on fine but not that happy with the long section at the rear that could do with some additional support IMO, if you reversed onto a clump that back of the gearbox section could dig in and cause a big problem, if you decided to get the gearbox cover as well, suggest modifying somehow, i haven't the fabrication skills to do this myself.

Mine have been on for i think 2 winters now and the paint is peeling on the edges so surface rusting is showing on the plates, will be many years before its an issue but seeing as i'm in lazy mode they won't be coming off for a repaint, instead they get a coating of ACF50 when i coat the underside, but if you haven't fitted yours yet Tractionman it might be an idea to give them a coat of harder paint before fitting.

 

[Simon5030]

Cruiser is in for MOT tomorrow morn, washed it yesterday including underneath, bit old fashioned me cos i believe its disrespectful to expect a mechanic to work on something dirty.
Just gave the thing the once over and discovered a front inner CV boot has split, great timing that.
Not sure if the indy garage mot'ing the thing will want to tackle it, so will ring them in the morning before dropping it off, silly to just submit and get a failure for something i already know about.
Was a time i'd DIY the thing, but just can't summon up the will, if they won't do it i'll get MrT on the job, could do with a brake fluid flush anyway .

Just did mine last weekend and the whole job went a treat! 2hrs (not rushing!)
Its great when it all goes well but when it goes wrong, it really does!
Simon

 

[Juddian]

Well done you Simon, even a couple of years ago i'd have dived in and got the job done, feeling me age now and i know i'd have been hobbling around doubled over for a week if i'd done the job, don't mind routine servicing and the annual rustproofing marathon but my days of more involved jobs are finally over, if it needs new injectors at some point i'll have to find someone reliable in the area.

Be ready tomorrow apparently, both inner CV boots needed replacing as expected but all other suspension bushes/joints are fine, got them to flush the brake fluid too and regassed the aircon.

 

[Mick W]

Well, its gone in, the local indy (they're really nice people, good work with fair pricing, not a 4x4 specialist so i gave them the option to not do the job if they didn't want it) is quite happy to do the drive shaft boots, i've also asked them to have a good poke nose around the suspension bushes etc whilst they have it apart and do anything needed, and to do all 4 CV boots if the nearside looks like its on its last legs, also going to flush the brake fluid, just can't summon the enthusiasm up at the moment, want to get on with the annual rustproofing when i get it back.

Apart from regular servicing, which i still do myself, and the alternator dying last year £126 Lucas recon) this Cruiser hasn't put a foot wrong and owes us nothing.

Work has been constant since house arrest of the population started, i drive a tanker on foodstuffs so the first few weeks especially during panic buying were manic, hence my weak excuse for not DIYing.

Ah, those bash plates, the only bother i had was two of the threaded short bars that you slip into the cross member to bolt to were too long, a matter of minutes to cut them down a bit to fit, otherwise all went well, i also bought the gearbox bash plate when i saw how solid the sump guard was, that too went on fine but not that happy with the long section at the rear that could do with some additional support IMO, if you reversed onto a clump that back of the gearbox section could dig in and cause a big problem, if you decided to get the gearbox cover as well, suggest modifying somehow, i haven't the fabrication skills to do this myself.

Mine have been on for i think 2 winters now and the paint is peeling on the edges so surface rusting is showing on the plates, will be many years before its an issue but seeing as i'm in lazy mode they won't be coming off for a repaint, instead they get a coating of ACF50 when i coat the underside, but if you haven't fitted yours yet Tractionman it might be an idea to give them a coat of harder paint before fitting.

Just received my 1 gallon ACF-50 order. My only query is does it stain block paving/concrete as I'm thinking of applying it at home while I'm on furlough.

 

[Juddian]

I keep large sheets of cardboard in my store for jobs like this, but if you don't have any to hand suggest spreading a large polythene dust sheet out and then putting out your ramps and driving the motor on so the whole area is covered.

Yes it will stain the ground, but like the Bilt Hamber waxes that have dripped on before it washes off in due course, however i have a very very understanding wife, thankfully.
The trouble is once i've done the rustproofing job, can guarantee one or both of our spaniels will go underneath and get covered in the stuff.

Motors back, all good now, don't think they enjoyed doing the CV boots.